Extreme Weather Climate 1st Edition Ahrens Samson -Test Bank

Extreme Weather Climate 1st Edition Ahrens Samson -Test Bank

Chapter 3

Temperature and Humidity Extremes

Multiple Choice Exam Questions

1. The maximum in daytime surface temperature typically occurs _______ the earth receives its most intense solar radiation.

a. before

b. after

c. exactly when

ANSWER: b

2. Radiational cooling typically occurs:

a. during the afternoon.

b. at night.

c. during the late morning.

ANSWER: b

3. The strongest radiation inversions occur when: 

a. skies are overcast.

b. skies are partly cloudy.

c. skies are clear.

d. precipitation is falling.

ANSWER: c

4. During the afternoon the greatest temperature difference between the surface air and the air several meters above occurs on a:

a. clear, calm afternoon.

b. clear, windy afternoon.

c. cloudy, calm afternoon.

d. cloudy, windy afternoon.

ANSWER: a

5. The greatest variation in daily temperature usually occurs:

a. at the ground.

b. about 5 feet above the ground.

c. at the top of a high-rise apartment complex.

d. at the level where thermals stop rising.

ANSWER: a

6. The lowest temperature is usually observed:

a. at the time of sunset.

b. near midnight.

c. several hours before sunrise.

d. around sunrise.

e. several hours after sunrise.

ANSWER: d

7. In clear weather the air next to the ground is usually __________ than the air above during the night, and __________ than the air above during the day.

a. colder, warmer

b. colder, colder

c. warmer, colder

d. warmer, warmer

ANSWER: a

8. Suppose yesterday morning you noticed ice crystals (frost) on the grass, yet the reported minimum temperature was only 35^o F.  The most likely reason for this apparent discrepancy is that:

a. temperature readings are taken in instrument shelters more than 5 feet above the ground.

b. the thermometer was in error.

c. the newspaper reported the wrong temperature.

d. the thermometer was read before the minimum temperature was reached for that day.

e. the thermometer was read incorrectly.

ANSWER: a

9. At what time during a 24-hour day would a radiation temperature inversion best be developed?

a. at sunset

b. near sunrise

c. toward the end of the morning

d. between 2 and 5 pm when the air temperature reaches a maximum

ANSWER: b

10. The primary cause of a radiation inversion is:

a. infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface.

b. infrared radiation absorbed by the earth’s surface.

c. solar radiation absorbed by the earth’s surface.

d. solar radiation reflected by the earth’s surface.

e. infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds.

ANSWER: a